Method and apparatus for performing semiconductor memory operations
View Patent ↗A semiconductor memory device and a method for performing a memory operation in the semiconductor memory device are provided. The semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of predetermined memory arrays, a bitline decoder, and a controller. The controller provides the memory operation signal to the bitline decoder and, after precharging bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays, performs the memory operation on selected memory cells in the one or more of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in accordance with the memory operation signal. The bitline decoder includes a plurality of sector select transistors and determines selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and selected rows and unselected rows within the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in response to the memory operation signal. The bitline decoder also precharges the bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a first voltage potential then shuts off the sector select transistors of unselected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the unselected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays while maintaining the sector select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays at the first voltage potential prior to the controller performing the memory operation.
1. A method for performing a memory operation in a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of predetermined memory arrays, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a memory operation signal;
determining selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and selected rows and unselected rows within the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in response to the memory operation signal;
precharging bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a first voltage potential;
after precharging to the first voltage potential, shutting off the sector select transistors of unselected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the unselected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays while maintaining the sector select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays at the first voltage potential; and
performing the memory operation on selected memory cells in the one or more of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in accordance with the memory operation signal.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of precharging the bitlines further comprises the step of raising a voltage potential of gates of the sector select transistors of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the bit line select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to the first voltage potential.
3. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the step of precharging the bitlines further comprises the step of raising a voltage potential of sources of the sector select transistors of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the bit line select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a voltage level determined in response to the first voltage potential and a threshold voltage level of the sector select transistors.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising, after the step of performing the memory operation on the selected memory cells, the steps of:
discharging the selected rows to a ground potential; and
after discharging the selected rows to the ground potential, connecting the sector select transistors of the selected sector to the ground voltage potential.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the memory operation is selected from a group of semiconductor memory operations comprising a memory read operation, a memory read-verify operation, and a program operation.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of memory arrays comprises a plurality of memory core cell arrays.
7. The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the plurality of memory core cell arrays comprises a plurality of predetermined memory sectors.
8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device is a Flash memory device, and wherein the plurality of memory arrays of the Flash memory device comprise a plurality of core cell arrays, each memory cell of the plurality of core cell arrays storing one or more bits of information.
9. A semiconductor memory device comprising:
a plurality of predetermined memory arrays;
a bitline decoder coupled to the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and including a plurality of sector select transistors, wherein the bitline decoder determines selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and selected rows and unselected rows within the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in response to a memory operation signal received thereby, and wherein the bitline decoder precharges bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a first voltage potential and, after precharging to the first voltage potential, shuts off the sector select transistors of unselected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the unselected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays while maintaining the sector select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays at the first voltage potential; and
a controller coupled to the bitline decoder and the plurality of predetermined memory arrays for providing the memory operation signal to the bitline decoder and performing the memory operation on selected memory cells in the one or more of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in accordance with the memory operation signal.
10. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the bitline decoder raises a voltage potential of gates of the sector select transistors of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the bit line select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to the first voltage potential when precharging the bitlines.
11. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the bitline decoder further raises a voltage potential of sources of the sector select transistors of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the bit line select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a voltage level determined in response to the first voltage potential and a threshold voltage level of the sector select transistors when precharging the bitlines.
12. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the bitline decoder, after the controller signals that the memory operation on the selected memory cells has been completed, discharges the selected rows to a second voltage potential less than the first voltage potential and then connects the sector select transistors to a ground voltage potential.
13. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the memory operation is selected from a group of semiconductor memory operations comprising a memory read operation, a memory read-verify operation, and a program operation.
14. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the plurality of memory arrays comprises a plurality of memory core cell arrays.
15. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 14 wherein the plurality of memory core cell arrays comprises a plurality of predetermined memory sectors.
16. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the semiconductor device is a Flash memory device, and wherein the plurality of memory arrays of the Flash memory device comprise a plurality of core cell arrays, each memory cell of the plurality of core cell arrays storing one or more bits of information.
17. An electronic device comprising:
a device controller for generating a memory operation signal; and
a semiconductor memory device coupled to the device controller and performing a memory operation in response to the memory operation signal, wherein the semiconductor memory device comprises:
a plurality of predetermined memory arrays;
a bitline decoder coupled to the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and including a plurality of sector select transistors, wherein the bitline decoder determines selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and selected rows and unselected rows within the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in response to a memory operation signal received thereby, and wherein the bitline decoder precharges bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a first voltage potential and, after precharging to the first voltage potential, shuts off the sector select transistors of unselected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the unselected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays while maintaining the sector select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays at the first voltage potential; and
a memory controller coupled to the device controller for receiving the memory operation signal therefrom and coupled to the bitline decoder and the plurality of predetermined memory arrays for providing the memory operation signal to the bitline decoder and performing the memory operation on selected memory cells in the one or more of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in accordance with the memory operation signal.
18. The electronic device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the bitline decoder raises a voltage potential of gates of the sector select transistors of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the bit line select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to the first voltage potential when precharging the bitlines.
19. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 18 wherein the bitline decoder further raises a voltage potential of sources of the sector select transistors of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the bit line select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a voltage level determined in response to the first voltage potential and a threshold voltage level of the sector select transistors when precharging the bitlines.
20. The semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the bitline decoder, after the controller signals that the memory operation on the selected memory cells has been completed, discharges the selected rows to a second voltage potential less than the first voltage potential and then connects the sector select transistors to a ground voltage potential.